Only in India: Interesting yet Bizarre Food Trends that will Leave you in Splits

The year 2020 was undoubtedly a year dedicated to cooking, baking and experimenting. Since the lockdown was in place, a lot of people decided to put on their chef’s hat. While viral food trends such as Dalgona Coffee, Banana Bread and Pancake Cereal were dishes worth savouring, there were also a lot of bizarre food trends that left a lot of people confused. There was a weird mix of sweet and savoury dishes that took place. Some food combinations literally made our tastebuds shudder. Nevertheless, if you really want to know what they are, keep reading. No matter how much we try to ignore them, they still show up on Instagram thanks to the ever-growing popularity of food on social media.

8 Most Bizarre Food Trends that Made News in 2021

Word of Caution: Please try these weird food combinations at your own risk.

1. 24K Momo

Don’t we all love a humble plate of Momos? Well, we recently came across a gigantic Momo that weighs 2 kilograms. If you thought it’s special because of its size, you’re mistaken. The highlight of this bizarre food trend is that it has a layer of 24K edible gold. A popular eatery in Mumbai invented this dish. It is also referred to as the Bahubali Gold Momo. While the concept of this large Momo is weird, the funny fact is that it comes with even bizarre accompaniments including orange mint mojito, three chutneys and a mayo-based dip. The humongous Momo costs around Rs. 1,299 and can serve around 6 to 8 people. If you’re fascinated by this trend, you will have to pre-order it. Would you dare to try it?

Image source: Aamchi Mumbai YouTube Channel

2. Fire Paan

Chewing paan is a popular habit in India. Over the years, there have been several adaptations too. Well, the new entrant in the paan scene is the fire paan. Yes, you read that right. It combines dried fruits, spices, nuts and sugar which are set on fire and thrown straight into the mouth. As weird as this seems, it is quite dangerous too. In fact, there have been several accidents reported. The fire paan seems to have originated in Rajkot. Paanwalas claim that the fire paan can help cleanse the throat. If you happen to try it ever, be very careful as it’s extremely toxic.

Image Source: Curly Tales

3. Croissant Vada Pav

Vada Pav is a famous dish that hails from Maharashtra. While it’s an extremely tasty snack, it has undergone several variations ever since it has been invented. Though some of the combinations have been interesting, the latest invention is something that has left netizens divided. It’s none other than the Croissant Vada Pav. As the name implies, a croissant is sliced in the middle, and used in place of the pav buns. A lot of people have found this bizarre fusion dish quite unappetising. In our opinion, this French flaky, buttery viennoiserie pastry is best consumed in its original way.

Image Source: Lokmat News Channel

4. Rasgulla Chaat

Just recently, a weird sweet and savoury chaat took the internet by a storm. You would have probably heard of the Rasgulla Chaat. Rasgulla is a well-loved Bengali sweet. Hence, netizens were not too happy when the same was adapted to form a chaat. A video went viral too wherein each rasgulla was squeezed to remove the sugar syrup and various chutneys and dahi was put on it like one would normally do in a sev puri. While it may several users wanna “throw up”, there were a couple of users who were willing to try it. It’s available in a food joint in Delhi’s Karol Bagh. What are your thoughts on this bizarre food trend?

Image Source: Curly Tales

5. Kaju Katli Chicken Soup

Kaju Katli is a beloved Diwali sweet, right? Imagine it being dunked in a bowl of chicken soup. EWW! That’s literally the first word that came to our minds. This weird food trend went viral in 2020 when a Twitter user shared an image of this dish. While it left many people in splits, chicken soup lovers were angry at the invention of this disastrous dish.

Image Source: Curly Tales

6. Chilli Jalebi

If you’re already traumatised by the dishes we’ve mentioned, wait, because there’s more. When we think of jalebi, we think of having it with rabri (sweetened condensed milk). But, have you ever thought of having jalebi with soy sauce, garlic, bell peppers and spices? Don’t worry, we’re as shocked as you are. Having jalebi as anything else is nothing but a CRIME. The Indian-Chinese variant of this popular sweet dish even resembled seafood. If you’re a foodie, you should unsee this now.

Image Source: Reddit

7. Nutella Biryani

If you thought putting pineapple on pizza was a crime, what would you say about Nutella Biryani? A picture of biryani topped with a spoonful of Nutella went viral a few months ago. It left biryani lovers infuriated and disgusted. Though it’s still not confirmed where this weird food combination is available, a Twitter user tweeted “Stay right there! Imma call the damn cops!”

Image Source: News 18

8. Maggi Pani Puri

After a late night, we’ve all binged on two-minute Maggi Noodles, right? It’s super easy to put together. Over the years, we’ve seen this instant ramen get several inventions. From cheesy Maggi to Maggi cheese balls, we thought we had seen it all until we stumbled upon Maggi Pani Puri. The weird food trend involves a plain puri or golgappa stuffed with Maggi. Some users called it the worst food trend of 2020 while one pointed out that the picture looked like worms coming out of a hole. Whatever it is, we’re pretty annoyed too because after all it’s Maggi. They’re not just noodles but an emotion in India.

What do you think of these food combos?

Have you tried any of these bizarre yet interesting food fads or trends? If yes, we’d love to know your experience in the comments section below. Also, if there are any other food trends you’ve come across lately, mention them too.